आख्याहि मे को भवानुग्ररूपो नमोऽस्तु ते देववर प्रसीद । विज्ञातुमिच्छामि भवन्तमाद्यं न हि प्रजानामि तव प्रवृत्तिम् ॥
ākhyāhi me ko bhavānugrarūpo namo'stu te devavara prasīda | vijñātumicchāmi bhavantamādyaṃ na hi prajānāmi tava pravṛttim ||
Translation
Tell me who You are in this terrible form. Salutations to You, O supreme God — be gracious. I wish to know You, the Primal One, for I do not understand Your purpose.
Interpretation
Arjuna asks the central question of Chapter 11: 'Who are You?' (ko bhavan — who are you in this terrible form?) After all the descriptions, after all the recognition, before the terrible form Arjuna finds himself not knowing. Namaste devavaraha prasida — salutations, be gracious. Vijnatum icchami — I wish to know. Na prajnami tava pravrittim — I do not understand Your purpose (pravittim — activity, movement, what You are doing). This question calls forth one of the most important answers in all of sacred literature.